Most early birth records contain very little biographical information. Typical early New England town and church records, for example, give little information beyond the name of the child, date and place of birth, and parents’ names. Some localities listed only the name of the father.
While early birth records can be discouragingly lacking in information, by the mid-nineteenth century birth records in the United States began to include more information. Even though births were not widely recorded during the early years of America’s existence, the records that do exist may be the only source of a birth date for an individual and should always be consulted.
Delayed births are also important vital registrations that you should consider for obtaining biographical information. When Social Security benefits were instituted in 1937, individuals claiming benefits had to document their birth even if the state of their birth did not require registration when they were born. Individuals who were not registered with state or county agencies at the time of their birth often applied for a delayed birth registration. Obtaining passports, insurance, and other benefits also required proof of age. Applications were accompanied with full name, address, and date and place of birth; father’s name, race, and place of birth; and evidence to support the facts presented. The evidence could be in the form of a baptismal certificate, Bible record, school record, affidavit from the attending physician or midwife, application for an insurance policy, birth certificate of a child, or an affidavit from a person having definite knowledge of the facts. Delayed birth records are usually filed and indexed separately from regular birth registrations, and it may be necessary to request a separate search for them.
Each of South Carolina’s forty-six (46) counties
has a vital records office in the county health department.
The Division of Vital Records has put into place a project
to allow all forty-six (46) county vital records’
offices to issue short form certifications (birth cards)
for any South Carolina birth, regardless of the county.
This project is referred to as the Statewide Birth Certification
Project. The completion date for this project was April
03, 2000. Statewide Birth Certification allows a customer
to obtain a short form birth card from any county health
department regardless of where in South Carolina the birth
occurred.
REQUIRED INFORMATION FOR A BIRTH RECORD
Full
name of the person whose birth certificate is being
requested
Full date of birth (month, day, year)
County of Birth
Mother’s full name before she married
Full name of father
Signature
of the person requesting the birth certificate and
their current mailing address
Relationship between the person named on the birth
certificate and the person requesting the certified
copy
The full name and complete mailing address where the
certificate is to be mailed.
Area code and daytime telephone number of the person
requesting the Certificate
Other information you consider helpful in the search
for the birth certificate (Example: full names and
dates of birth of brothers and sisters, nicknames,
etc.)
Because of the importance of the legal distribution and control of property, most states and counties began to record marriages before births and deaths. The recording of a marriage is a two-step process. Traditionally, couples apply for a license to marry, and the applications are usually filed loose among other applications or in bound volumes. Marriage returns are filed once the marriage has taken place. The latter document is the proof of a marriage (not the license application).
Marriage applications are often filled out by both the bride and groom and typically contain a significant amount of genealogical information. They may list full names of the bride and groom, their residences, races, ages, dates and places of birth, previous marriages, occupations, and their parents’ names, places of birth, and occupations.
Marriage certificates are issued by counties after the marriage ceremony is completed, and these are usually found among family items. While the certificates tend to have less biographical data than the application, the name of the individual officiating at the wedding may lead you to religious records by revealing the denomination. The religious records, in turn, may reveal the names of witnesses and other useful information.
Early American records sometimes include marriage bonds, which served as a protection for the future children of the marriage. A bond obligated a prospective groom to pay the bond if he were discovered to be a bigamist or imposter or otherwise ineligible to contract a valid marriage. As long as the marriage was legal, the bond was void. Bonds generally include the groom’s name, name of the surety, the sum, and the date of the agreement.
You are entitled to a certified copy of a marriage record
if you are one of the married parties (bride or groom),
their adult child(ren), a present or former spouse of
either married party, or their respective legal representative.
Other applicants may be provided with a statement that
the marriage occurred, including the date and county the
marriage license was issued.
Certified
copies of marriage records from July 1950 to the present
may be obtained from the Vital Records Office in Columbia,
South Carolina, 2600 Bull Street, Columbia, SC 29201.
Copies
of marriage records that occurred PRIOR to July 1950
may be obtained from the Office of the Probate in the
county where the original marriage license was issued.
Fees charged by DHEC for these services do not apply
to copies obtained from the Office of the Probate Judge.
REQUIRED
INFORMATION FOR A MARRIAGE SEARCH
Full name and date of birth of the groom
Full name and date of birth of the bride
Full date of marriage (month, day, year)
County where the license was issued
Signature of the person requesting the marriage record
and their current mailing address
Relationship between the married parties and the person
requesting the certified copy
Full name and complete mailing address of the person
to whom the certificate is to be mailed
Area code and daytime telephone number of the person
requesting the marriage record
Any additional information you consider helpful in
the search for the marriage record (Example: previous
married names, nicknames, etc.)
Early death records in the United States provide little more than the name of the deceased, the date of death, and the place of death. Obituaries and cemetery, court, and other records often provide more information about the deceased than do most official death records created before the last quarter of the 1800s.
By 1900 death records included more details. They often include the name of the deceased; date, place, and cause of death; age at the time of death; place of birth; parents’ names; occupation; name of spouse; name of the person giving the information; the informant’s relationship to the deceased; the name and address of the funeral director; and the place of burial. Race is listed in some records, and modern death certificates generally include a Social Security number.
HOW
TO OBTAIN A CERTIFIED COPY OF A DEATH CERTIFICATE
Certified
copies of death certificates may be obtained from the
state vital records office located at DHEC, 2600 Bull
Street, Columbia, SC 29201 or You
can download this form to obtain a Certified
Copy of a Death Certificate. Certified copies of death
certificates may also be issued from the health department
in the county of death. The county vital records office
can only certify deaths that occurred during the last
five years in their county. There were no South Carolina Death certificates before January 01, 1915
REQUIRED
INFORMATION FOR A DEATH SEARCH
Full
name of the person whose death certificate is being
requested
Full
date of death (month, day, year)
County where the person was pronounced dead
The names of the decedent's parents
Signature of the person requesting the death certificate
and their current mailing address
Relationship between the person name on the death
certificate and the person requesting the certified
copy
The full name and complete mailing address of the
person to whom the certificate is to be mailed
Area code and daytime telephone number of the person
requesting the death certificate
Other information you consider helpful in the search
for the death certificate (Example: nicknames, alias,
place of burial, etc.)
Death records become public records after fifty (50)
years and then any person may obtain certified copies.
Deaths for 1915-1949 are available for public reviewing
at the South Carolina Department of Archives and History, 8301 Parklane Road, Columbia,
South Carolina 29223 or search online HERE. Access to a microfiche index and
microfilm of these deaths is available at the Archives'
Reference Room. No appointment is needed and there is
no charge for viewing the records. If copies are needed,
a work order provided at the Reference Room must be
completed. The Reference Room staff will provide information
about charges for copies and schedule for receiving
copies. Self-service copying is available. Inquiries
must be made in person or by telephone. The Reference
Room is open Monday - Friday, 8:45 a.m. - 4:45 p.m.
daily. For additional information, telephone (803) 896-6104.
